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Rancho Palos Verdes youth advisory committee members say mental health, civic engagement are priorities
Summary
Members of Rancho Palos Verdes’ Youth Advisory Committee described how the group recruits students, runs eight subcommittees (including mental health and e-bike outreach), and organizes events such as a citywide mental-health summit and a clothing drive to increase youth participation in local government.
Members of the Rancho Palos Verdes Youth Advisory Committee described the committee’s role connecting young residents to city government, emphasizing mental health, education and hands-on community events.
"I like sharing my voice," said a Youth Advisory Committee member, who described being recommended by a teacher and introduced to Mayor Kruchank before joining the YAC. The member said the mental health subcommittee has organized summits and plans "fireside chats with mental health professionals."
A different member who joined after seeing a city listing said the YAC’s projects include a planned citywide mental-health event and that working monthly with peers from several local schools helped them learn how municipal government functions. Members said subcommittees allow students to propose and carry out projects with city support.
The committee’s leadership described internal rules and responsibilities: one speaker who serves as chair said the YAC has eight subcommittees, meets monthly, oversees partnerships with city staff, and follows restrictions on communications that the group said are rooted in the Brown Act. "There are a lot of rules and things that you can't do, such as with social media," the chair said, describing limits on group chats and what committee members can post publicly.
Members listed other subcommittees and projects: education and outreach efforts that might record high-school graduations and publish a newsletter, an e-bike subcommittee that does outreach, an environmental outreach team planning a home-hardening competition, and a safety and preparedness committee. Several members recounted hosting a booth at Whale of a Day to gather community input and run engagement activities such as a spin-the-wheel RPV trivia game and giveaway items.
On local policy interests, speakers cited landslide relief as an example of issues they have tracked and written to state officials about: one member said they supported a Senate bill that would allow state funding to be used for landslide relief. Members said YAC participation has increased their interest in policy and civic careers.
The segment closed with a reminder that the YAC is appointed by the City Council and that interested students can apply via the city’s website.
Next steps: the YAC plans public events (including a clothing drive and mental health activities) and will continue coordinating with city staff on outreach and project implementation.
